Money-tray.



' No. 658,9l0. Patented 001.2, I900.

' -J.'H. GRAY.

MONEY TRAY.

- (Ayplication filed Nov. 13, 1896. Rene wed Nov. 29, 1898., We Model.)

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES HUNTER GRAY, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

. MONEY-TRAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,910, dated October2, 1900. Application filed November 13, 1896. Renewed November 29, 1898\serial No. 697,803. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMns HUNTER GRAY, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain and Ireland, and a resident of 2 Brick Court, Temple, London,England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Money-Trays, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide money-trays which while beingless costly than others, at the same time more readily enable coins tobe picked up than rubber and other money trays of the hitherto usualkinds. My money-trays also last longer than other flexible money-traysand-can be readily renewed.

In order that my invention may be readily understood, reference is madeto the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters of-refence indicatecorresponding parts throughout the several figures, and in which- Figure1 shows in sectional side elevation mydmproved money tray, consisting ofa rubber bag having an internal frame. Fig. 2 shows in sectional sideelevation an alternative form of my improved money-tray in which theelastic surface is affixed on a shallow dish having an air-valve; andFig. 3 shows in sectional side elevation a further alternative form ofmy improved money-tray, the elastic surface being attached to an openframe.

My invention consists, essentially, in the employment of one or moresheets of indiarubber,cloth, parchment, parchment-paperpr other suitableand sufficiently-elastic material, which I stretch to a sufficientextent and fix to a frame of suitable shape and dimensions, thearrangement being such that a layer of airis under said india-rubberorother material and acts as a cushion, sothat when coins are being pickedtherefrom the fingers depress the portion immediately around the coin,and thereby the coin can be readily taken hold of even when the fingersare incased in a thick glove. If desired, the said india-rubber or othermaterial may be caused to bulge outwardly-say by increasing theair-pressure--Which still further increases the facility to pick upcoins from the tray.

In carrying out my invention, and referring first to Fig. 1, I make acircular frame 0, over and to which I stretch two sheets A of rubber orother suitable material, one on the top and one on the bottom of saidframe, to form my tray, so that said tray is reversible, as Will bereadily understood from the drawings,and the said sheets A aresufficiently elastic as to be readily depressed by the fingers whencoins are being picked up therefrom.

In place of providing an upper and a lower sheet A, as above described,I may, Fig. 2, make the frame 0 with a bottom B, said bottom and framebeing preferably integrally formed of metal in about the form of a plateor shallow dish. Over the top of said dish I stretch the sheet A and fixit to the sides 0, and, if desired, I may provide the said frame 0 withan air-valve V, so that the tray may be inflated and the upper andelastic surface caused to bulge to a sufficient extent, about as shown,or I may employ the frame 0 only and stretch and fix the sheet A onto itas shown in Fig. 3.

I do not confine myself to any particular means or method of attachingthe sheet A to the frame 0. For example, the sheets A A in Fig. 1 may beseparately fixed to the frame 0 .by frictional contact or by means ofcement or otherwise, or said sheets may be formed integrally in theform-of a circular bag, about as shown,andasplit frame 0 insertedthrough a slit or opening at the side of said bag, or I may make theframe 0 in about the sectional shape shown in Figs. 2 and 3, so that therubber or other elastic sheet A, whose edges are for this purpose moldedso as to form a thick ened flange, may be sprung onto said frame.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. As a new article of manufacture,a moneytray consisting of asupporting-frame and an exposed sheet of material supported thereby atits edges leaving the body portion freely suspended and having a degreeof elasticity to permit the same to yield under the pressure of thefingers in picking up the coin.

2. A money-tray comprising a frame and an exposed sheet of materialsupported thereby and having a degree of elasticity which will permitthe same to be indented by, the fingers independently at the severalpoints of contact about the coin in picking up the same, substantiallyas described.

3. In combination in a money-tray, a supporting-frame and a flexiblecover secured thereto and extending above the plane of its connectionwith the frame, substantiallyas described.

4. In combination in a money-tray, a supporting-frame, a cover distendedinto convex form and means for holding the cover distended whileallowing the same flexion, substantially as described.

5. A money-tray consisting of a frame and a sheet of elastic materialsupported thereby,

valve in said tray, and a resilient air-tight covering secured to thetray edges, substantially as described.

Inwitnesswhereof I- have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES HUNTER GRAY. Witnesses:

CHAS. BAUER, JOHN B. BELL.

